


The Angels Are Watching Over You

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence, Canon Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Dead Jessica, Dead John Winchester, Eventual Castiel/Dean Winchester, F/M, Freeform, M/M, Mary Winchester Raises Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester, Mary remembers what happened in "In The Beginning", Season/Series 01, Season/Series 02, Season/Series 03, Work In Progress, i did it, i try to keep characters in character, lets see how that goes, oops i killed Jess, that wasn't in my original plan but
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-07 00:38:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5436947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would happen if John was the one to have died in the fire? How would Mary react? How would the boys grow up? Would Dean and Sam still go through what they did?</p><p>This is an au where Mary was the one to raise Sam and Dean. This is how they would have dealt with the apocalypse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

 

_22 years ago_

_It was November 2 nd, 1983. Sam was 6 months old. Mary, John, and Dean had just tucked Sam into his crib and said goodnight. John and Mary tucked Dean into his bed. Mary for some reason felt a bit odd, as though something awful was going to happen._

_“The angels are watching over you.” Mary whispered as she pressed a gentle kiss to Dean’s forehead. Dean slowly drifted off to sleep, Mary headed to her and John’s bedroom while John went downstairs to watch some television. There was a documentary on soldiers of some war that John had wanted to watch. After 30 about 30 minutes of just lying in bed, Mary fell asleep._

_Sometime during the night Mary woke up, she didn’t know why, but the feeling that something was wrong got stronger. She heard Sam crying over the baby monitor, so she got out of bed to go check on him. When she left the room, she noticed the light in the hallway was flickering. Her initial instinct was to think that there was either a ghost or a demon, but that thought quickly left her mind when she remembered that the lightbulb hadn’t been switched out in maybe a year. She walked to the lamp and tapped it a few times to try to squeeze out any extra juice. After a few seconds it was fine. She went to Sam’s room to check on him. When she got there, Sam stopped crying. She leaned over his crib and pressed a gentle hand to his cheek. As she rubbed his cheek, a drop of blood fell onto her hand. She looked up to find the source and was horrified by what she saw. It was John. He was on the ceiling, his stomach was slit open. She screamed in horror. Just as the flames erupted, she grabbed Sam and ran out of the room. Dean went into the hallway, wiping sleep from his eyes. Mary quickly grabbed Dean, both children in her arms. She ran downstairs and put Dean down so she could open the door. She opened the door and got outside with her children._

_In that moment, sitting on the trunk of the Impala, wrapped in a blanket holding both her sons, Mary knew that John was dead, and that a demon had done it. Nothing the firefighters or police would find after investigating, would tell them that, but Mary knew. She should have trusted her gut instinct. Then she remembered that night in 1973. A strange man had come to town, he was following John around and seemed to have known both her and John. When she confronted him, he was surprised to have seen the charms on her bracelet. He was a hunter. Later in the strange man’s visit, he had said “On November 2 nd, 1983, don’t get out of bed. No matter what you hear or what you see.” Then it clicked. This man knew this would happen, or at least something like this. _


	2. 2005

**Present Day**

It was November 2nd, 2005. Sam was in the bathroom of his shared apartment with Jessica, his girlfriend. He was fixing his hair, for the fancy evening they were going to have. Sam’s mother had a tradition of taking Sam and Dean to dinner every November 2nd. Since Sam went off to college and met Jessica, he has been taking her along with him. Tonight’s dinner was special though, tonight was the night he would propose to her. He hid the box to the ring in his suit pocket. Just as he was about to open the bathroom door, Jessica knocked on it.

“Hurry up Sam, we’re gonna be late. I don’t want to upset your mom. Tonight is a sad night for her.” She said through the door. Sam opened it and stepped out. Jessica was wearing a beautiful black dress with a pair of black heels to go along with it. Her blonde hair was curled and framed her face naturally.

“You look beautiful babe.” Sam leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, this earned him a smile from her. “C’mon let’s go, we don’t want to be late.” He grabbed her hand and they left their apartment. Sam got in the driver seat of his 2005 black dodge charger. Jess sat in the passenger seat.

After about 45 minutes of driving, Sam and Jess arrive at the restaurant that Mary had chosen for them to have dinner. Sam parked his car next the classic 1967 Chevy Impala that he knew was Dean’s.  Mary had given it to Dean when he got his driver’s license. It used to be their fathers, before he died in an awful fire. Dean loved this car, he said it was his baby.

Sam and Jess walked into the restaurant, told them they were with the Winchester party and found Dean and Mary sitting at a table with 5 seats. Sam and Jess were a bit confused about the extra chair. The couple hasn’t exactly spoken to Dean since Mary’s family dinner last year. They sat at the table, Sam sitting next to Mary and Jess sitting next to him. They smiled and hugged Mary, pressing soft kisses to her cheeks. Then they shook Dean’s hand. As they sat down, a brunette woman with dark skin walked to the table and sat in the seat next to Dean. The woman was wearing a pearl necklace and a tight black dress with black boots. She smiled at Dean, then the rest of the family at the table. She looked directly at Sam.

“You must be Sam, Dean told me a lot about you.” She extended her hand for Sam to shake, which he accepted. “I’m Cassie.”

“Nice to meet you Cassie. This is my girlfriend Jessica.” He gestured to Jessica, who extended a hand for Cassie to take.

“Nice to meet you.” The women shook hands for a few seconds.

“Well now that everyone is acquainted I say that we catch up. Dean, how’s work at the garage?” Mary asks. Dean looks from Cassie to Mary, he’s still smiling.

“Well, it’s a salvage yard, not a garage. But work is great. I’m having a lot of fun.” Dean nods.

“That’s great honey. Next time you’re at work, tell Bobby I said hello.”

“Sure thing mom.”

Sam clears his throat and everyone looks at him. “I uh… Since you’re all here, I have something I wanted to ask.” Sam took a deep breath and looked into Jessica’s eyes. “But first I have some things that I wanna say. Jess, you make me really happy, maybe the happiest man alive. I love you so much and these past few years have been amazing. I’m so lucky to have you in my life.” Sam reached into his jacket pocket and took out the ring box. Jess covered her mouth as she was speechless. Mary gasped excitedly, while Dean smiled slightly at his little brother. “Jessica, will you marry me?” Jessica made a happy squeal and nodded.

“Yes, of course! Sam oh my God!” Sam placed the ring on her left handed ring finger. Jess pulled him in for a kiss. Dean, Mary, and Cassie clapped at the engagement.

“I’m proud of you Sammy.” Dean said, smiling. This was maybe the first time that he has said that to him since he got accepted into Stanford 4 years ago. Sam and Dean weren’t exactly on speaking terms these days. Mary smiled at what Dean said.

Later in the evening, Dean told Sam, Mary, and Jess how he and Cassie met. Her dad had taken her to the salvage yard so he could get his truck fixed up. Dean and Cassie had hit it off almost instantly. They now have been dating for about a month now. This is Dean’s first actual relationship, he usually has one night stands with random women he impresses while he hustles pool at random bars. It turns out that Cassie didn’t know about that, and that upsets Sam. It upsets Cassie too when she finds out from a snarky comment made by Sam. Cassie goes to start an argument, but Mary changes the topic before they could start fighting.

After dinner at around midnight, Jessica invites Mary to her and Sam’s apartment so that she doesn’t have to get a hotel room before her flight back to Lawrence. Mary gladly accepts. She would have invited Dean and Cassie, but they left before she could ask them, as they had personal things to take care of.

*

At their hotel room, Cassie threw her jacket on the table angrily. The car ride was filled with an uncomfortable silence.

“Cassie, what’s wrong? Talk to me.” Dean followed her inside.

“You’re sleeping on the floor, or in the fucking bath tub!” Cassie shouted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dean asked in a calmer, yet defensive voice.

“You’re a whore! I bet that when you met me, you wanted it to just be a one night fling! Just admit it!” Cassie pointed a finger at Dean, who back away.

“At first, yes. But then I got to know you!” Dean reassured her.

“Get out! Go to your brother’s place! I can’t stand to look at you right now!” Cassie stormed to the dresser of the hotel room and began throwing Deans stuff out of the drawer.

“Cassie, wait! Baby, don’t do this!” Dean shouted, and stepped towards her. She threw his stuff at him in response.

“No, don’t call me that! Nothing you do is going to calm me down! Just go to Sam’s place!” Cassie stormed off to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Dean ran a hand through his hair and picked up his stuff. He placed it in his bag and left the hotel room. He put the bag in the passenger seat of the Impala and began driving to Sam and Jessica’s apartment.

He arrived at the apartment, at around one in the morning. Instead of knocking, he looked for a spare key and found one under a welcome mat in front of the door. He unlocked the door and opened it quietly. He stepped inside of the apartment and put the key back under the mat, then closed the door behind him. He locked the door after he knew the door was shut. He started walking to the living room of the apartment, when Sam walked up behind him and hit his side with a bat. Dean quickly grabbed the bat and turned around.

“Son of a bitch!” He shouted, taking the bat from Sam, throwing it across the room. “That hurt like hell!”

“Dean, what are you doing here?!” Sam shouted in response. “You broke into my apartment!”

“I didn’t break in, I used a key.” Dean responded, pointing at the door.

“Sam, what’s going on?” Mary said, standing next to Jess. “Dean, what are you doing here?” She changed her question as she noticed it was Dean that caused the commotion.

“Cassie kicked me out of the hotel room and I didn’t know where else to go.” Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry.” Mary walked to Dean and hugged him.

After the situation was resolved, Mary would sleep on the couch and Dean would sleep on an air mattress, Sam and Jess went back to bed.

_Sam and Dean were talking as they sat in the impala, Dean was driving back to Sam and Jessica’s apartment. Sam was looking at a map, using a flashlight that he had placed in his mouth so he could look for the coordinates that Dean found in the leather bound journal. The coordinates are for Blackwater Ridge. Sam tells Dean about the location._

_“Hey, if we shag ass we could make it by morning.” Sam looks hesitantly at Dean._

_“Dean, I, um…” He doesn’t need to finish his sentences as Dean completely understands. Dean glances at the road then back to Sam._

_“You’re not going.”_

_“The interview is in like, ten hours. I gotta be there.” Dean nods, disappointed, but returns his attention to the road._

_“Yeah. Yeah, whatever. I’ll take you home.” Dean glances at Sam. Sam turns off the flashlight._

_Later when Sam is back at his apartment, he can hear the shower running as he sits on the bed. He closes his eyes and flops onto his back. A few drops of blood drip onto his forehead, he flinches and opens his eyes. He gasps pure terror at what he sees, Jess is staring down at him, pinned to the ceiling and bleeding from her belly._

_“No!” Sam shouts, practically screaming. Jess bursts into flames, the fire quickly spreading across the ceiling. Dean kicks the front door open and starts running to the bedroom._

_“Sam!”_

_Sam raises one arm to shield his face. “Jess!” He screams as Dean runs into the room._

_“Sam! Sam!” Dean looks up and sees Jessica’s burning corpse._

_“No! No!” Sam couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Dean grabs Sam off the bed and drags him out the door, Sam struggling to get to Jess. He didn’t want to leave her. “Jess! Jess! No!” They make it out just before the flames devour the apartment._

_A fire truck is parked outside the building, a few firefighters and policemen are keeping back on lookers. Dean looks on, then turns, walking back to his car. Sam is standing by the open trunk, loading a shotgun, possibly with rock salt. Dean looks at the trunk, full of assorted weapons, then at Sam, whose face is full of nothing but anger. Sam looks up, sighs and nods. Then Sam tosses the shotgun into the trunk._

_“We’ve got work to do.” Sam shuts the trunk of the Impala._

Sam wakes up in a cold sweat, he’s breathing heavily and his head hurts. It’s worse than any headache or migraine that he’s gotten from exam stress. This headache feels like his head is on fire and is soon to explode. He turns his head and sees Jess, still sound asleep lying next to him. A soft sigh escaped his lips and he sat up, running a hand through his hair then over his face, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He got out of bed and headed into the kitchen, checking the time on the phone as he walked. It was five in the morning, He had gotten about four hours of sleep.

Mary was sitting on the couch, quietly talking on the phone. Sam hears the whispers and snaps to reality. He gets a glass and fills it with water, then he takes a sip of it. He places the glass on the counter.

“Hey mom, what’re you doing up?” Sam asked quietly from his spot in the kitchen.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I’m taking care of some things. Sammy, what’re you doing up?” Mary replies at the same volume as Sam. “Sorry Ellen I’m gonna have to call you back.” Mary hangs up and puts her phone on the table next to the couch. She stands up, steps over Deans sleeping body and walks to Sam.

“I uh… I had a nightmare.” Sam whispers when Mary sits at the kitchen table. Sam sits in the seat across from her.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Mary asks in a gentle voice.

“It started with Dean and I in the Impala, I was uh, I was looking at a map and I said something about dad,” Sam began, his voice was shaky as he recalled the nightmare. “Then Dean said that we could make it to Blackwater Ridge by morning and I turned him down because I had an interview.”

“I don’t understand how this is a nightmare…” Mary said.

Then Sam went on to explain the worst part of the nightmare. The blood, the fire, everything. He even mentioned that the trunk of the Impala was full of weapons. When he said that, Mary made a face of shock. She was concerned about the reason the Impala’s trunk was full of guns and knives along with salt and gallons of water with rosaries.

“Sam, sweetie, I’m so sorry.” Mary gently rubs his back.

“It’s fine, I just have a headache.” He pinches the bridge of his nose and winces as the headache gets worse and his vision gets blurry. Mary places her hand on his forehead, under his bangs.

“You’re burning up.” She says.

“I’m fine.” Sam winces more and squeezes the corner of the table. His sight of the kitchen gets replaced with the sight of Jess burning on the ceiling with her stomach slit open. The orange flames slowly burning Jessica’s limp body. Sam’s head feels like it will explode. It won’t go away, the vision of Jess burning. It just keeps… flowing.

“Sam!” Mary was shouting. She shook Sam, who was breathing heavily as he stood, holding onto his temples and digging his nails into the wood of the table. Jess and Dean were standing in the doorway of the kitchen. “Sammy!” Sam looked up at Jessica, then at Dean, then back to his mother.

 

 

At around seven that morning, Dean’s phone was ringing. He answered without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?” He said as he sat on the couch, he had just gotten out of the shower.

“Dean, we’re through. I just… I can’t be with you, knowing that you only wanted a onetime fling. I’m sorry Dean, I just can’t.” It was Cassie. She was ending it, officially.

“If you really want to end it, then fine.” Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I just want you to know that you mean a lot to me. I don’t think that will ever change…”

“Dean cut the crap. Listen, I gotta go, I have a plane to catch if I wanna get to my dad’s place before I change my mind.” Cassie didn’t want to do this but she felt she had to. It was evident in her voice and more specifically, her choice of words.

“I’m sorry.” After Dean said this, the line went dead. Cassie hung up. Mary walked into the room as Dean angrily through his phone on the couch angrily. He sighed and cursed under his breath.

“What’s wrong honey?” Mary asked as she sat next to Dean on the couch. Even though she knew that the man she sat next to was her son, but when she looked at him she saw the man she met in 1973. The man that warned her about November 2nd, 1983. His words still rang in her ears when she looked into his eyes. The man she had met all those years ago looked exactly like Dean, maybe a few years older, but the main difference was the way he looked at her. The man looked at her sadly, as though it made him sad to see her. Dean, however, looked at her with nothing but love for his mother, the woman who raised him.

“Cassie ended it. It’s over and there’s nothing I can do about it.” Dean dragged his hand down his face, as if that would get rid of his anger.

“I’m so sorry, Dean. You’ll find someone who deserves you. Someone who loves you no matter what happened in your past.” It was a bit odd, as the man told him he was raised into the hunting lifestyle. When she looks at Dean, she sees her precious son, not a dangerous hunter. She didn’t see a man that could kill someone without a second thought.

“Honestly, I can’t see it happening anytime soon.” Dean honestly didn’t think he could find anyone better than Cassie.

“Listen Dean, you’re going to find someone. You’ll find your Jess, like Sam did. Hell, maybe you’ll find a John, I’m won’t Judge.” She chuckled at the joke she made. “I will never abandon you, because I love you.” Dean smiled at her.

“I love you too mom. Hey, speaking of Sam, is he okay? I’m worried about what happened earlier. What even happened?” Dean looked into Mary’s eyes, searching for answers.

“I’m not sure what happened, but he’s fine now.” Mary smiled and patted Dean’s shoulder.

  **One week later**

Mary and Bobby sat at the bar in Harvelle’s Roadhouse as Ellen gave them some whiskey. Ellen made sure that the roadhouse was closed before they came in. Jo was off in her room and Ash was asleep on the pool table. Mary wanted to talk to her most trusted hunter friends in private. It was about her sons so she couldn't risk anyone else hearing it.

“So, what’s up Mary?” Ellen asked as she wiped down the counter. It had a ring from the bottle of beer that she was drinking.

“It’s about Sam and Dean. The thing with Dean has been bothering me for years but the thing with Sam was about a week ago.” Mary began. She took a swig of the beer before she continued. “I remember distinctly this man I met in 1973. I remembered him because of what he said, now I remember him because I see him every time I look at Dean.”

“Well, what did he say?” Bobby asked.

“He said ‘On November 2nd, 1983, don’t get out of bed no matter what you hear or what you see.’ Those words have been floating in my head for the last 22 years. I see that man when I look at my son. I don’t know what it means. Hell, Dean even talks like him.” Mary sighed, she was seriously confused about Dean and that man.

“What about Sam? You said something about him.” Ellen said.

“He had this really weird dream when I stayed the night at his apartment after dinner on the 2nd. He and Dean were hunters, but he didn’t really want to be one. They seemed to be looking for John. Then Sam got back to his apartment and found Jess the same way I found John that night. Then she burst into flames, the same way John did. When he woke up, he had a fever and was sweating. He said he had a headache. Then he started to black out or something and he kept mumbling something about a fire and I remember he said ‘yellow-eyed demon’ while he was out of it. Jess and Dean ran into the room and he immediately looked at Jess but he looked at her like she was a ghost.” Mary ran a hand through her long blonde hair.

“Was he complaining about a headache just before he blacked out?” Ellen asked as if it mattered.

“Yeah, why?” Mary got that out and jumped when Ellen yelled.

“Hey, Ash!” As Ellen yelled, Ash jolted awake.

Ash snorted as he sat up. “What’s up?”

“What’s the word for having really bad headaches with visions?” She asked the mullet wearing man on the pool table.

“Premonitions.”

“Thanks Ash.”

“So Sammy’s having… _premonitions_? Like psychics?” Mary was scared of the answer that was to come.

“Exactly like psychics.” Bobby answered. “Mary, you gotta talk to your boys about this.”

Just as Bobby said this, Mary’s phone rang. She took it out of her pocket and checked the contact name. It was Dean. “Hold on, I gotta take this. It’s Dean.” She flipped the phone open and answered. “Hey Dean.” She greeted him.

“Mom, something awful just happened… Sam would be the one calling but he’s talking to the fire department and police. Mom, he’s crying. Can we come over?” Dean said.

“Dean what happened?” Mary was nervous.

“It’s Jess… There was a fire. Sam keeps saying she was on the ceiling, I dunno I wasn’t in the apartment at the time but I dragged him out before the flames got to him.” Dean informed sadly.

“Oh no… Dean can you drive you and Sammy to Bobby’s? We’ll be there as soon as we can, okay sweetie?”

“Yeah mom, see you soon.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too.” With that Mary hung up.

“What was that?” Bobby asked, standing from his bar stool.

“There was a fire, Jess was in it and Sam says she was on the ceiling.” Mary stood up quickly. “Ellen, you wanna come with Bobby and me? I need as many hunters with me as possible when I tell them.” Ellen nodded and all three of the hunters headed out of the Roadhouse.

 

 

“Sam, Dean, there is something we need to tell you.” Mary said after they all got comfortable in Bobby’s living room. Sam and Dean looked around the room and were horrified at what they saw. There was a devil’s trap on the ceiling but to them it looked like a pentagram. There were papers with information about cases that Bobby is currently helping with. Next to Bobby’s desk that is covered in books, there is a line of phones with labels on them. One phone saying _FBI,_ another saying _Police,_ they all had something on them that Sam and Dean knew were illegal to have.

“What the _hell_?” Dean was the only one of the brothers that spoke.

“This is gonna be a lot to take in but you can’t tell anyone. Not a single soul.” Ellen informed them.

“Bobby hunts the things that haunt your worst nightmares. Ellen’s husband was killed while he was on a hunt. _I used to hunt._ ” Mary began. “I promised myself that I would never raise you two to be hunters. I didn’t want to ruin your life the way mine was while I was growing up. I stopped hunting after my parents died. A demon killed them, your father, and Jess. The only reason I’m telling you this is because there is no use lying to you. You’re old enough to know.”

“How do you kill it?” Sam asks, his voice full of rage for the demon.

“Listen boy, your mom isn’t gonna let you hunt the thing that killed Jess. As far as we know, there is only one thing that can kill a demon and we don’t even have it.” Bobby sighed.

“Am I the only one that thinks this is the craziest thing? I’m still trying to register the freakin’ _décor_. I mean, seriously Bobby, a pentagram on the ceiling? What the _fuck_?” Dean stood up.

“Sit down, boy. I told you this is a lot to take in.” Ellen made her posture look more intimidating to get him to sit back down.

“Dean, Sam, I’m sorry. I just had to tell you. I didn’t like lying to you.” Mary stepped closer to them.

“Mom, what happened the night of the fire?” Sam asked after a minute of silence.

“A demon was in your nursery, he came to me ten years before it happened and he told me that he would come and as long as he wasn’t interrupted ‘no one gets hurt’. I’m not sure what he was doing but I think it’s affecting you Sammy.” Mary said. She was looking at Dean until she told she mentioned Sam.

“What do you mean? Affecting me?” Sam sounded scared.

“That nightmare you had. It was a premonition, a vision. I just don’t understand why in the vision you and Dean were hunters but you were looking for your father.” Mary informed.

“Maybe in a universe similar to this one but drastically different, they grew up as hunters but were raised by John.” Bobby said. This earned a confused look from Mary.

“He wasn’t a hunter.” Mary automatically said.

“Maybe he got into it after the fire? It could have been you that interrupted yellow eyes.” Ellen argued.

“Yellow eyes?” Dean was utterly confused. Some of this wasn’t registering.

“The demon has yellow eyes. We don’t know his name so we call him ‘yellow eyes’ or ‘the yellow-eyed demon’ simply because it’s easier.” Bobby stated.

“Has it gotten to any other families?” Sam asked.

“We can’t be sure of how many other families because not everyone interrupted him, but he did hit other families. They’re all over the country and all happened on the night of the babies 6 month birthday. They’re all the same age as you.” Mary responded.

“What’s the pattern?” Sam asked. Dean’s confusion was growing larger as the conversation went on.

“For most of them, it’s the kid’s mom that died in a fire in the kid’s nursery. You seem to be the only one that it was the dad. That makes you boys lucky.” Ellen stated matter-of-factly.

After about an hour of talking, Dean was starting to understand and wasn’t confused anymore. He started asking questions, like what made Mary start saying that angels are watching over him even though she wasn’t religious and didn’t believe they exist. He found out that she got a porcelain figure of an angel at a garage sale when she was pregnant with him. He didn’t ask the one question that was bothering him the most. The one question Mary wouldn’t answer until _she_ fully understood. He didn’t ask her why she looked at him the way she did. The way she looked at him was full of so many different emotions that Dean didn’t understand.

After the conversation was over, Bobby gave them a walk-through of what to do if the demon attacked them. He told them how to make regular water into holy water. He told them to always have salt with them. He told them what to do if a shapeshifter, revenant, or other basic monster attacked them. Dean didn’t have any of the needed weapons for these things. He would have to go shopping for them. He would also need something to hold them in the trunk of the Impala. Hell, he should stock up on salt.

“Is it okay if I do some research? Y’know to better understand this?” Dean asked the three hunters.

“I think you should learn how to shoot a gun but you’d have to ask your mommy about that one.” Bobby stated.

“Mom, please? I need to protect myself. So does Sammy. It won’t hurt to learn.” Dean was building his argument for letting him learn.

“Bobby, can you teach them? I trust you.” Mary said, running a hand through her hair.

“Sure thing. Boys meet back here every Monday and Thursday. Dean you can stay here since you work for me.” Bobby stated.

“Thanks Bobby. I really appreciate it.”


	3. 2006

**January 24 th, 2006**

It was Dean’s 27th birthday. He was taking a lesson from Bobby about shooting a gun. While doing target practice, he hit bullseye on all of the targets, including the moving ones. Sam thought it was just a lucky break, Bobby thought it was just natural talent, but the honest to God truth was that Dean had been practicing on his own. He didn’t only practice shooting a gun, he practiced throwing knifes, which he was pretty good at throwing darts, thanks to the bars he went to. By now, Dean thought he was ready to become a hunter.

Dean had been doing research on his own time. He read information about random monsters that he had heard Bobby talk about on the phone. He learned that most urban legends were based on truth but altered. He learned that some of the monsters that existed were tulpa’s, they were real because enough people believed them to be real.

Mary was visiting for Dean’s birthday today. Dean was currently alone in the living room, he was writing in a leather bound journal that Bobby gave to him. The corner of the front cover journal said ‘H. Winchester’. Bobby said it was a journal that was his grandfather’s, then his dad’s, now it’s his. He was writing some notes about different creatures that he did research on. As he was doing this, Mary walked into the room.

“Hey Dean, what’re you up to?” She asked, walking closer to him.

“I wanna hunt.” Dean didn’t look up from what he was writing. If he did, he would see Mary’s face go pale. Her jaw dropped slightly.

“Are you sure?” She asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t see why I shouldn’t. If I did then more people would be safe.” Dean stated, glancing up at his mother. With this glance, Mary saw the man. The man from 1973. He was a hunter. He was the one to tell her about the colt and the yellow-eyed demon. Mary hated that she saw the stranger in her son. She didn’t want to associate Dean with hunting. She wanted to associate him with being her eldest son, the one that smelled like gasoline and alcohol. She wanted to associate his gentle touch with the calluses he earned from rebuilding classic cars, not with death.

“Dean I don’t know if you can handle it. You would have to kill some things and I don’t know if your mind could handle that. Hunting is pretty illegal. You have to pretend to be federal officers a lot of the time.” Mary had to have an excuse to not let him do it.

“I can handle the deaths, mom. Plus you didn’t seem to have a hard time with the law.” Dean stated matter-of-factly.

“I grew up in the life, Dean.” Mary began. “But, I guess. If it’s really something you want, I can see if Ellen could take you on a hunt. Bobby has to man the phones for other hunters.”

“Can Sammy come with me?” Dean asked.

“If he wants to.” Mary ran a hand through her hair. “Just be sure to watch him. Make sure nothing happens to him.”

“Of course.”

**A week later**

Sam and Dean had just gotten back from a hunt. They both received some injuries but Dean got the worst of it. Hell, Dean even received a criminal record from this one. There was a shapeshifter that pretended to be the brother of one of Sam’s friends from college. Speaking of Sam’s college, he hadn’t been to school since Jess died.

After they figured out it was a shapeshifter, it shifted into Dean then kidnapped Sam’s friend. He tortured and killed another woman before her. He planned to do the same with her, but was caught by the swat team. When Dean caught up with it, he killed it while it was still in his form.

“You boys okay?” Bobby asked as they stumbled into the house.

“Yeah if you count being wanted for murder and presumed dead, as okay. Then I’m peachy.” Dean said sarcastically.

“What happened?” Mary asked. Wow, Sam and Dean had no idea she was there.

“It was a shifter. He turned into Dean and killed my friend. He tried to kill me but Dean got to him before he could.” Sam said, helping Dean into the living room. “I don’t know how any of you can handle all of the blood and death.” Sam stated as he sat Dean on the couch.

“Got used to it.” Mary and Bobby said in unison.

“It didn’t bother Dean. He made jokes about it.” Sam stated. This earned Dean concerned looks from Bobby and Mary.

“How many chances does someone have of going to their own funeral?” Dean joked.

“Did ya puke?” Bobby asked, the question directed at Sam.

“He did. When he saw the flesh that the freak shed.” Dean said, reminding Sam of the disgusting goo-like skin. Sam gagged at the thought. Dean laughed at Sam attempting to hold what little food and bile was left in his stomach after the first time he threw up.

“Aw, Sammy. Don’t worry. I threw up during my first shifter hunt.” Mary informed him. “Does anyone need medical attention?” Mary asked.

“Nah, I’m just sore. Took a bad beating.” Dean said and laid on the couch.

“I’m good.” Sam nodded.

“That’s good.” Mary stated.

After a few hours, Dean fell asleep on the couch. Mary placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, whispering the sentence that she always told him. She left and went back to her house. Sam and Bobby went to bed, Bobby in his own room, and Sam in the guest room.

At around five in the morning, Bobby and Dean are woken up by the sound of Sam screaming. They rushed to his room to check on him. Sam was twisting and turning in his sleep, mumbling things and making sounds of pain, horrible pain.

“ _NO_!” He shouted as he jolted awake, sitting up in his bed. He was sweating and breathing heavily. He quickly got out of the bed. “We have to go.” He said, quickly getting dressed.

“What happened?” Dean asked.

“We have to go. Right now.” Sam stated, exiting the room, pushing Dean aside. “Bobby, get me a Michigan State Police ID.” He said. Bobby went to do as Sam said.

“Why?” Dean asked, as Sam headed for the Impala. Dean followed him, quickly.

“I need to check a license plate. It was in my premonition.” He informed. Bobby handed him an ID. Sam sat in the passenger seat of the Impala, Dean in the driver’s seat.

At the Michigan state line, Sam pulled out his phone and called a number. He introduced himself.

“McReady. Detective McReady. Badge number 158. I’ve got a signal 480in progress, I need the registered owner of a two door sedan, Michigan license plate Mary-Frank-six-zero-three-seven.” He paused as the person on the other line said something. “Yeah ok, just hurry.”

“Sammy relax. I’m sure it’s just a nightmare.” Dean lied. He wasn’t sure what he believed.

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Sam quickly retorted.

“I mean it. Y’know, a normal, everyday, naked-in-class, nightmare. This license plate, it won’t check out. You’ll see.” Dean responded.

“It felt different Dean. Real. Like when I dreamt about Jessica.” Sam stated.

“Yeah, that makes sense. You’re dreaming about your girlfriend. This guy in your dream, you ever seen him before?” Dean asked, now he had a reason for Sam to not want to do this.

“No.” Sam frowned.

“No. Exactly. Why would you have premonitions about some random dude in Michigan?”

“I don’t know.” Sam looked down, still frowning.

“Me neither.”

“Yes I’m here.” Sam says into the phone. He listens to what the person on the other end says, grabbing his pen. “Jim Miller. Saginaw, Michigan. You have a street address?” He listens and writes something down. “Got it. Thanks.” He hangs up the phone. “Checks out. How far are we?”

“From Saginaw? Coupla hours.” Dean says after thinking about the distance.

“Drive faster.” With that, Dean knew it would be a better idea to do as he said instead of having to deal with Sam complain about Dean’s driving.

They didn’t make it in time to save Jim. However, Sam had multiple premonitions while they were there. The first one was about Jim’s brother, who they couldn’t save. The second was of Max Miller, Jim’s son, killing his stepmother. They were able to get him to stop and talk to Sam. Max threw him into the hall closet and put a large cupboard in front of the door. It was then that Sam had another premonition, this one ended with Dean dying. Sam couldn’t let that happen, so he tried to escape. He struggled but got out when the cupboard moved because Sam moved it. He didn’t use his hands, he couldn’t, he moved it by the amount of anger and fear that was pent up. He moved it with his mind. He was able to stop Max from shooting Dean, but he couldn’t stop him from killing himself.

While talking to Max, Sam found out that the same thing happened to Max, but instead of it being his father to be killed by the demon, it was his birth mother. Max had a horrible childhood because his father drank too much and didn’t have anyone to blame but Max. Sam had a normal childhood because his mother wouldn’t let herself break, she promised herself that she would take care of her children and raise them the best way that she could. She wouldn’t let anything happen to them. It is for that, Sam is thankful that it was his mother to raise them.

“You moved it with your _mind_?!” Dean yelled the question as they walked into Bobby’s house. “You’re telling me that you can do the same thing Max could do? Crazy, psychopathic, murderous, Max?” With all the yelling Dean was doing, Mary, Ellen, Bobby, and Jo walked into the living room where Sam and Dean were standing.

“Dean, I’m not saying that I have the urge to murder my whole family using my mind, I’m saying that the only reason I was able to save you was because I moved that cupboard with some sort of adrenalin filled telekinesis!” Sam responds, not noticing the crowd building in the room.

“Sam, I don’t want you to relate yourself to that kid!” Dean shouts.

“It was the yellow-eyed demon that gave both of us our… our Psychic abilities!” Sam wasn’t sure that was the proper wording.

“He didn’t seem to have your freaky ESP stuff!”

“It’s not ESP Dean, they’re premonitions!”

Jo clears her throat, causing Sam and Dean to look towards her. “So these are the Winchester brothers? The naturally gifted hunters that guys at the roadhouse keep talking about?” Jo crosses her arms over her chest and cocks her hip, raising her eyebrows.

“Yep.” Ellen sighs.

“People talk about them? Goddamn it.” Mary says.

“New hunters are always talked about. The thing that gets most people talking is how talented they are for being so young and new to the life.” Ellen responds.

“Sorry about that.” Dean says quickly, apologizing for him and Sam’s rude introduction.

“Yeah, sorry. Dean is just upset about the last job we did. It was a kid whose mom was killed by yellow eyes. He was killing his family, who abused him. Dean’s mad that I’m saying that if I were in the same scenario, I would understand what he was doing, and that I would be able to do it. I mean the adrenalin of having a vision of Dean dying, gave me the drive to move a cupboard that I couldn’t move with my own hands.” Sam informed them.

“You’re not a killer Sammy! You just can’t do it!” Dean argued.

“What we do is pretty damn close to it, Dean.” Sam responds.

“Boys, stop.” Mary stops them before they get violent. “Don’t fight, not in front of Jo. Or me.”

“Sorry mom.” Dean says sincerely. “I’m just worried about Sammy, that’s all.”

“That’s fine, Dean.” Then it hits her, the man she met in 1973 was named Dean. Why did it take her so long to remember his name? Why was it just coming to her now?

“So, Dean, you’re that protective of your brother? That sort of hero dynamic really gets the girls going huh?” Jo joked.

“Nah, I’d like to think it’s the fact that I’m adorable.” Dean smirks and puts his hands on his hips. Jo laughs.

“Yeah right. I wouldn’t call a face like that adorable.” Jo responds.

“Dean’s a handsome boy.” Ellen states.

“Thanks Ellen but you have more of an aunt vibe.” Dean jokes.

“Watch it boy, your momma ain’t the only woman that knows how to shoot a gun.” Ellen points at him.

After a while of banter and laughs, the conversation grows serious again when Mary clears her throat to get everyone’s attention. The room falls silent so she can speak.

“I think we all know that something big is gonna happen. We need to prepare for whatever that demon throws at us. That demon is always three steps ahead of us.” Mary says.

“How can we do that?” Sam asks.

“I’ve been keeping tabs on him, tracking him.” Mary states.

“Where is he?” Dean asks.

“There hasn’t been direct activity from him since Jess died.” Mary responds.

“So, all we have for information is Sam’s visions and your tracking?” Dean asks.

“Yeah that’s what it seems.” Mary nods.

 

 

A few months later, Sam has a premonition of a man killing himself. They go to the town that it happened in and met a man that had mind control powers that were given to him by the yellow-eyed demon. He had a twin brother with the same power, who was trying to kill everyone that separated them. Then Sam had a premonition of Dean killing a young man. After they checked it out, they find out that the town was infected with a demonic virus that made the entire town go rabid. Sam was able to make sure that Dean didn’t kill the boy. Sam almost got infected by the virus but seemed to be immune, this freaked Dean out. He confronted Sam about it and they had an argument. At some point, Sam and Dean met a hunter named Gordon Walker, he was fond of Dean, not so much Sam though.

One day, Sam and Dean were arguing and Sam went to Indiana, a place that one of the psychic kids were found dead. He was murdered in a parking lot. Sam decided to check it out, since he was alone for this, he made sure that everything was safe. When he went to unlock his motel room door, he heard someone walking behind him. He turned around and shoved the person into the door.

“Who are you?!” He shouted at the woman.

“Please, you’re in danger.” She said.

Later Dean found out about where Sam was, so he went to join him. Later Gordon attempted to shoot Sam and the woman, Ava, who was one of the psychic children. Dean stopped him, but was knocked out. Gordon abducted Dean in order to use him as bait for Sam. Sam didn’t fall for the trap, as Ava had warned him about the trap.  Sam called the police and gave an anonymous tip about Gordon’s amount of weapons and him abducting Dean. Gordon was arrested and Sam and Dean escaped the town.

“I'm not just gonna ditch the job.” Sam sighs.

“Screw the job. Screw it, man, I'm sick of the job anyway. I mean, we don't get paid, we don't get thanked. The only thing we get is bad luck.” Dean was tired of the job.

“Well, come on, dude, you're a hunter. I mean, it's what you were meant to do.” Sam states.

“Ah, I wasn't meant to do anything, I don't believe in that destiny crap.” Dean retorts.

“You mean you don't believe in my destiny.” Sam corrects him.

“Sam, I’m tired of all this bullshit about your destiny! Let’s just drop the subject, okay!” Dean was driving him and Sam to Mary’s house in Lawrence, Kansas.

**A few months later**

Dean is in the parking lot of a diner, Mary in the back seat of the Impala, while they wait for Sam to come back with some food for the road. The three of them were on their way from Mary’s to Bobby’s house.

Dean had Zep playing quietly in the Impala. A minute after Sam got out of the car, the radio started acting up, it was glitching. Dean tapped the cassette player a few times and glanced at Mary, who looked around outside, so he did the same. Then their attention was back at the diner. It was empty. They got out of the Impala and started walking to the diner, pulling out their guns. Dean opened the door and stepped inside.

“Sam?” He said as he and Mary stepped inside.

“Sammy?” Mary said as they walked around. The first booth they see has a man lying on the table, blood draining from his throat.

“Sam?!” Dean yelled as he stepped behind the counter, walking to the backdoor. The woman who was behind the counter is on the floor, she was killed the same way that the man in the booth was. Dean walked the backdoor and was struck with the scent of rotten eggs. It was sulfur. The demon did this. “Sulfur…”

“Sammy!” Mary screamed, hoping her son could hear her.

Dean and Mary rushed to the Impala, they had to get to Bobby. After they got in the car, Dean drove as quickly as he could so they could get to Bobby.

*

Sam woke up in the middle of a deserted town. He sat up and looked up. This place looked vaguely familiar but he didn’t know where he knew it from. He stood up and began walking around. As he went to turn a corner, he heard footsteps so he paused. As he turned, he bumped into a familiar figure. He took a step back and noticed who it was. Andrew Gallagher.

“Andy?” Sam raises his eyebrows in confusion.

“Sam! What are you doing here?” Andy asks, horrified.

“I don’t know.” Sam states.

“What am I doing here?!” Andy shouts. He was honestly scared for his life.

“I-I don’t know.” Sam stutters out.

“Where are we?!”

“Andy, look, calm down.” Sam tried to get him to calm down, so they could look around the town.

“I can’t calm down! I just woke up in freaking Frontierland!” Andy ran a hand through his hair.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Sam asks, trying to make sense of what was happening.

“Honestly? My fourth bong load. It was weird. All of a sudden, there was this really intense smell. Like, uh… rotten eggs.” Andy says.

“Sulfur.” Sam states. Then it comes back to him, where he was when he disappeared. “Dean.”

“Your brother? Is he here?” Andy asks.

“I don’t know where he is. I don’t know if he’s… Mom…” That’s all he manages to say until he is interrupted by the sound of a woman scream.

*

Bobby placed the map on the hood of the Impala.

“These are all the demonic omens from the past month.” He said and waved his hand over the unmarked map.

“Are you joking?” Dean asked.

“There’s nothing there.” Mary states.

“Exactly. Not even the normal, low level stuff. No exorcisms or anything like that. Nothing.” Bobby responds.

“Well how are we supposed to look for Sam? Do we just close our eyes and point?” Dean’s second question was laced with sarcasm. After he says this, Mary’s phone rings. She answers it and puts it on speaker.

“Hello?” She says into the phone.

“Ash told me he had nothing on Sam but he told me to check the safe in the basement of the Roadhouse.” It was Ellen.

“And?” Dean asked.

“When I got here after buying pretzels to restock on, the place was burned to the ground. I couldn’t have been gone for more than 15 minutes.” Ellen sighs.

“Oh my god…” Mary ran a hand through her hair.

“Did you get what Ash asked you to get?” Dean asked, he needed to find Sam.

“Yeah, I’ll bring it to Bobby’s. I’ll be there soon.” Ellen responds.

 

 

The woman that screamed was Ava, the only thing they have in common is that all three of them are some of the psychic children. They heard people talking so they went to the source of the noise. It came from two other people with abilities. Jake, a soldier plucked from Afghanistan, and Lily, a blonde woman who can kill people simply by touching them. Andy offered to send a vision to Dean, so that he could find them. Sam tried to explain the demon to the group but they didn’t believe him, well they did after Jake was attacked by a demon. They quickly gathered as much salt and iron as possible. When they regrouped, Lily wasn’t with the group. They quickly went to find her, but when they went outside, she was dead, hanging on a windmill. A demon did it to her.

_The group was in a ramshackle building. They were trying to watch for the demon. Sam looked at Jake, what he saw surprised him._

_“Jake!” He shouted but didn’t get a response from the soldier._

_“Howdy Sam.” It was the yellow eyed demon._

_“I’m dreaming.” Sam stated and the demon stepped closer to him._

_“What do you say? You wanna take a little walk?” He asked. They stared at each other for a few seconds then went outside._

_“You’re awfully quiet Sam. You’re not mad at me are ya?” The demon asked rhetorically. Of course Sam was mad._

_“I’m gonna tear you to shreds I swear.” Sam stated._

_“When you wake up tiger, you give it your best shot.” They continued walking._

_“Where’s my brother?” Sam decided to ask._

_“Quit worrying about Dean, I’d worry more about **yourself**.” The demon emphasized the last word._

_“Why, you gonna kill me?” Sam stopped in his tracks._

_“I’m trying to help you, that’s why we’re talking. You’re the one I’m rooting for.” The demon continued the walk._

_“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sam asked and followed timidly._

_“Welcome to the Miss America pageant. Why do you think you’re here? This is a competition. Only one of you crazy kids is gonna make it out of here alive.” The demon stated._

_“I thought we were supposed to be-” Sam began but was interrupted._

_“Soldiers in the coming war? That’s true you are, but here’s the thing. I don’t need soldiers, I need a soldier. I just need the one.” The demon raised his index finger._

_“Why?” Sam asked. He needed answers._

_“Well I couldn’t just come out and say that Sam. I had to make everyone think they had a fighting chance. But what I need, is a leader.” Sam furrowed his brow at what the demon said._

_“To lead who?” There was a long pause before the demon answered._

_“Oh I already got my army, or I will, soon anyway.”_

_“You son of a bitch.” Sam raised his eyebrows._

_“Honestly, I’m surprised you hadn’t guessed. I mean why do you think so many children flamed out already? Max Miller, and Andy’s brother. What’s his name? They weren’t strong enough. I’m looking for the best and brightest of your generation.” The demon said._

_“My generation?” Sam asked._

_“Well, there’s other generations but let’s just worry about yours. That’s why I’m here Sam I wanna give you the inside track.” The demon poked Sam’s chest when he said this. “You’re tough, you’re smart, and you’re well trained, thanks to your intuition. Sam. Sammy. You’re my favorite.” The demon stated._

_“You ruined my life. You killed almost everyone I love.” Sam growled out._

_“Cost of doing business, I’m afraid.” The demon stated simply. “I mean, sweet little Jessica, she just had to die, you were all set to marry that little blonde thing, become a tax lawyer with two kids, a beer gut, and a little McMansion in the suburbs. I needed you sharp, on the road, honing your skills. Your gifts.” The demon said._

_“What about my dad?” Sam asked._

_“That was bad luck.” The demon stated matter-of-factly._

_“Bad luck?” This confused Sam._

_“He walked in on us. Wrong place, wrong time.”_

_“What does that mean?”_

_The demon then showed Sam what happened the night of the fire. The demon then snaps his fingers and Sam wakes up._

“Sam, wake up! Ava’s missing.”

Sam, Jake and Andy begin looking for Ava. Sam hears Ava scream and rushes to her. What he sees is awful. Andy was dead on the floor. Ava was summoning demons. She tried to kill Sam, but Jake made it just in time to snap her neck and end her short life.

 

Dean and Bobby were driving to Cold Oak, South Dakota. That was where Sam was. Mary stayed with Ellen at Bobby’s house. Bobby and Dean park the Impala in front of the woods that surround the abandoned town.

“Well, it looks like the rest of the way’s on foot.” Bobby stated ad they grabbed guns from the trunk.

“Let’s go.” Dean responded.

 

Sam and Jake head outside.

“I think we can make it out of here now.” Sam said.

“But the Acheri demon…” Jake began.

“No, no, no. Ava was summoning it, controlling it. It shouldn’t come back now that she’s dead. We gotta go.” Sam responded.

“Not “we” Sam. Only one of us is getting out of here. I, I’m sorry.”

“What?” Sam hoped he didn’t really hear that.

Jake told Sam about his dream. Sam tells him not to listen to the demon. Jake tells him that it can’t be both of them. Sam convinces Jake to put down his weapon.

Suddenly, Jake punches him. With his super-strength, Sam goes flying across the field and crashes onto the ground. Jake approaches, kicking down the fence and leaning over Sam. Sam is on the ground, winded, and Jake and Sam watch each other as Jake approaches. As Jake suddenly makes a fast approach to kick Sam, Sam kicks out himself; the two exchange blows with Sam on the ground, and then he leverages himself up. Each land multiple blows; one blow hits Sam's right arm and shoulder with a bone-crunching sound, knocking him down again. He gets up quickly although clearly in pain. Jake approaches and swings at Sam, but Sam ducks out of the way and Jake's punch goes through a wooden railing, temporarily holding him. Sam knees him several times, then kicks him down. As Jake lies there, winded, Sam picks up the iron bar that Jake was using and knocks him out. Sam approaches the unconscious Jake, consideringly, and lifts the bar as if to strike – he hesitates a moment, then tosses the bar to the ground. Just as he tosses it aside, he hears Dean calling his name from a distance.

“Sam!” Dean shouts.

Sam hears him and turns around, still clutching his arm, nearly staggering with exhaustion. He sees Dean and Bobby approaching, with flashlights. They walk toward each other in the rain.

“Dean!” Sam shouts in relief.

Jake suddenly wakes up, grabs the knife that Sam had placed on the ground.

“Sam, look out!” Dean picked up his pace, running to Sam.

Jake stabs the knife into Sam’s back. Dean runs faster to Sam.

“No!” Dean shouts.

Jake twists the knife, creating a large wound, before running away. Sam, gasping, falls to his knees. While Bobby chases after Jake, Dean slides to the ground in front of Sam. He grabs Sam’s shirt, trying to keep him conscious.

“No, Sam!” Sam falls forward onto Dean’s shoulder. Dean places his hand on Sam’s wound in Sam’s back, covering his entire palm in blood. “Hey, look at me. It’s not even that bad. It’s not even that bad, all right? Sammy? Sam! Hey, listen to me. We’re gonna patch you up, okay? You’ll be good as new. Huh? I’m gonna take care of you. I’m gonna take you care of you. I’ve got you. That’s my job, right? Watch out for my pain-in-the-ass little brother?” Sam’s eyes slide shut and his entire body slumps forward. Dean cries as Sam dies in his arms. “Sam!” Dean screams.

“Mary, I’m so sorry.” Bobby said to the woman as she stepped out of her car. She walked closer to him.

“Bobby what happened? Tell me why you called me here. Tell me why you’re sorry. What happened? Where are my sons?” Mary had so many things on her mind right now.

“They’re inside. I don’t think you should go in there. Dean’s a mess.” Bobby said.

“Bobby let me see them.” She pushed past him and went inside. “Dean! Sammy!” She shouted as she entered the abandoned housed.

“Mom?!” Dean responded from where he was. Mary entered the room that she heard Dean’s voice from. She hugged Dean when she saw the tears running down his face. She looked at the bed on the floor of the room. She saw Sam, lying dead on the mattress.

“Sam?!” She shouted as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Sammy. Sam.” She let go of Dean and went to Sam’s side.

Dean left the room leaving Mary with Sam. He left the house and went to his car. He slammed the door as he got in and started it. He sped off to a not yet known location. He drove for miles until he arrived where two strips of road crossed. He got out of the car and went to the trunk. He remembered reading about crossroads deals. He filled the box with the necessary items, including a picture of himself and dug a small hole in the center of the crossing. He said the summoning ritual and waited.

“Oh come on already. Show your face you evil bitch!” Dean shouted.

“Easy sugar, you’ll wake the neighbors.” A beautiful woman in a black dress said after she appeared. When Dean turned to her, her eyes flash red for a moment.  “Dean. It is so, so good to see you. I mean it. Look at you. Gone and got your family killed. All alone in the world. It's too sweet. Excuse me, you're gonna have to give me a moment.” She walks closer to Dean, now face to face. “Sometimes you gotta stop and smell the roses.”

“I should send you straight back to hell.” Dean responds.

“Oh you should, but you won’t. And I know why.” The demon states.

“Oh yeah?” Dean says.

“Yeah. You wanna make a deal. Little Sammy back from the dead, and—let me guess— you're offering up your own soul?” The demon responds.

“There are a hundred other demons who'd love to get their hands on it. And it's all yours. All you got to do is bring Sam back. And give me ten years— ten years, and then you come for me.” Dean retorts.

“You must be joking.” The demon says fueled with spite.

“That’s the same deal you give everybody else.” Dean responded with confusion.

“You’re not everybody else.” She said then leaned closer to his ear. “Why would I want to give you anything? Keep your gutter soul. It's too tarnished, anyway.”

“Nine years.” Dean responds.

“No.” The demon states.

“Eight.” Dean changes his deal.

“You keep going, I’ll keep saying no.” She laughs.

“Okay, five years. Five years, and my bill comes due. That's my last offer— five years or no deal.” Dean states and the demon leans in as if to seal the deal with a kiss.

“Then no deal.” She says instead.

“Fine.” Dean states.

“Fine.” The demon begins walking away. “Make sure you bury Sam before he starts stinking up the joint.”

“Wait.” Dean suddenly changes his mind.

“It's a fire sale, and everything must go.” The demon says softly.

“What do I have to do?” Dean asks.

“First of all, quit groveling. Needy guys are such a turnoff.” She sighs. “Look... Look, I shouldn't be doing this. I could get in a lot of trouble. But what can I say? I got a blind spot for you, Dean. You're like a... puppy. You're just too fun to play with.” She sighs again. “I'll do it.”

“You’ll bring him back?” Dean asks.

“I will. And because I'm such a saint, I'll give you one year, and one year only. But here's the thing. If you try and welch or weasel your way out, then the deal is off. Sam drops dead. He's back to rotten meat in no time. So... It's a better deal than your dad ever got. What do you say?”

Dean grabs her from the back of the neck and kisses her to seal the deal.

Back at the house, Mary is sobbing as she holds Sam’s limp body. Suddenly Sam’s eyes open wide and he sits up on the mattress, looking around, confused, and breathing heavily. Mary looks up at him, shocked.

“Sammy?” She asked.

“Mom.” Sam responds.

Sam stands up, with the help of Mary and goes to the mirror. He turns around and lifts his shirt. He looks at the scar on his back. It’s right on his spine. Dean walks into the room.

“Sammy? Thank God.” Dean says and walks closer to him.

“Hey.” Dean pulls him into a tight hug. “Ow. Uh, Dean…” Dean releases him.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry, man. I'm just... I'm just happy to see you up and around, that's all.” Sam nods.

“Dean what did you do?” Mary asks. “Sam was dead…”

“What?” Sam asks scared.

“How long did they give you?” Mary changes her question.

“One year.” Dean states, quietly.

“One year?!” Mary shouts. “They couldn’t give you a better deal?” Mary was angry, and sad, mixed with so many other emotions. She didn’t want to lose either of her sons. She couldn’t handle it. She can’t have Dean going to hell.

“The demon said she wasn’t even supposed to be making a deal with me! I tried to get a longer sentence but this was as long as she would give me! I couldn’t let Sam die!” Dean shouted.

“Jake killed me?” Sam was still trying to process it.

“Son of a bitch got away too.” Dean added.

The sound of Mary’s phone ringing stopped them from furthering this conversation. She answered it, to get her mind off of what was happening.

“Hello.” She said into the receiver.

“Ellen found what Ash told her to get from the safe of the Roadhouse. It’s a map. You and Dean come down here so we can take a look at it.” It was Bobby. His voice was rushed and distracted.

“We’ll be right over.” Mary hung up the phone and stood up. “C’mon boys, we’re going to Bobby’s. He said Ellen found something.” She headed out the door, to the car she drove here. Sam and dean followed her out. They got in the Impala as she got into her car.

As Dean was driving Sam decided now would be a great time to ask questions.

“Why’d you do it?” Sam asked, his voice cracking. He was crying.

“I couldn’t let you die Sammy. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” Dean replied.

“How do you think I’ll feel after your time is up?” Sam asked.

Dean didn’t answer the question, he just kept driving. Later they arrived at Bobby’s house. They stepped out of the Impala at the same time as Mary stepped out of the borrowed vehicle. Mary went inside the house first, her sons followed. Bobby froze when he saw Sam. Ellen was busy looking at the map in front of her. Bobby walked over to them.

“What the hell?” He whispered so that Ellen wouldn’t hear them in case the scenario turned out to be what he thought it was.

“Dean’s got a year until eternal damnation.” Mary stated coldly. She didn’t lower her voice, she didn’t care if Ellen heard her. She just wanted her son to live longer and go to heaven like he deserved.

“What?” Ellen looked up at the group.

“Don’t worry about it.” Bobby said. “Listen we got something big that we aren’t sure about.

The group walked to the map. There were X’s surrounding Wyoming. Bobby pulled a book from his desk and started skimming through it. They all did the same. “It says here that each of these X’s is an abandoned frontier church- all mid-19th century. All built by Samuel Colt.” Bobby puts the book done.

“Samuel Colt- the demon killing, gun making Samuel Colt?” Mary asked, trying to get a better look.

“Yep. And there’s more. He built private railways connecting church to church.” Bobby grabbed a pen and used it to connect the churches. “It just happens to lay out like this.”

“Tell me that’s not what I think it is.” Dean says. The churches and the railways make a devils trap when they are all connected.

“It’s a Devil’s Trap. A 100-square mile Devil’s Trap.” Sam states.

“That’s brilliant, iron lines demons can’t cross.” Mary responds.

“I’ve never heard of anything that massive.” Ellen adds.

“No one has.” Bobby informed her.

“And after all these years none of the lines are broken? I mean, it still works?” Dean asks, looking at Bobby.

“Definitely. I checked for omens in the area after Ellen showed me. There are tons just surrounding the damn thing. They want whatever is in there.” Bobby responds.

“That's what I've been looking for. And, uh, there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle.” Dean says and points at the center of the devil’s trap.

“Well what's so important about a cemetery or...” Sam trailed off, unsure of what to say.

“What’s Colt trying to protect?” Mary seemed to know where it was going.

“Well, unless…” Dean says, trying to build tension.

“Unless what?” Bobby asked. They needed to know all options.

“What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?” Dean finished his thought.

“Now that’s a comforting thought.” Ellen stated, laced with sarcasm.

“Yeah, you think?” Dean responded.

“Could they do it? Could they get inside?” Sam asked.

“This thing's so powerful, you'd practically need an A-bomb to destroy it. No way a full-blood demon gets across.” Mary decided to answer.  This statement reminded Sam of the man who stabbed him. The man who killed him.

“No… But I know who could.” Sam said.

 

It was late at night, around midnight. The cemetery gate opens as Jake enters, walking towards a crypt.

“Howdy, Jake.” Sam states, stepping out of the shadows along with Dean, Bobby, Mary, and Ellen, their guns raised, pointed at Jake.

“Wait… you were dead. I killed you. You can’t be alive… You can’t be.” Jake states, confused.

“I’m not so sure about that.” Sam retorts.

“What, you a tough guy all of a sudden? What are you gonna do— kill me?” Jake says, the line fueled with bite. He laughs bitterly at the last two words out of his own mouth.

“It’s a thought.” Sam responds, with the same amount of bitterness. This new side of Sam was frightening. What did it mean? Was this all for show, too scare Jake?

“You had your chance. You couldn’t.” Jake says flatly.

“I won’t make that mistake twice.” Sam says this, causing Jake to laugh.

“What are you smiling at, you little bitch?” Dean says. He was tired of this waiting. He just wanted to snap the bastard’s neck and kill that demon.

“Hey blondie, do me a favor. Put that gun to your head.” Jake says, looking Mary in the eyes. After he says this, she shakily puts the gun to her temple. “See that Ava girl was right. Once you give in to it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn.”

“Let her go.” Sam commands. Mary didn’t deserve this. He should just shoot him right there.

“Shoot him.” Mary states, her voice trembling.

“You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off.” Jake pauses for dramatic effect. God, that’s annoying. “Everybody, put your guns down. Except you, sweetheart.” He looks at Mary when he finished speaking. Everyone except Mary put their guns down. Sam did so reluctantly, just so his mother wouldn’t be killed. The others did so because they had no control over themselves. “Okay, thank you.”

With that, Jake turned and inserted the gun into a hole in the stone crypt door. He twists the gun and Sam raises his gun. Sam shoots Jake in his back. Dean, Bobby, and Ellen run to Mary, removing the gun from her hand. Jake falls to the ground, coughing up blood.

“You don’t have to do this.” He chokes on his own blood. Sam, fueled with rage, shoots Jake repeatedly. His hands are shaking violently as he lowers his gun. He takes a deep breath and looks up at the other four hunters.

As Sam composes himself, the circles on the crypt door stops spinning and forms a pentagram. Dean removes the Colt from the small hole that it fit into and the door begins to open. He takes a step back, unsure of what is happening, he looks at his mother. She seemed to always know what to do. Until now. Now she was staring at the crypt with wide eyes.

“Get back!” She shouted and grabbed Sams’ shoulder. The five hunters ran and hid behind headstones as the door opened. Black smoke escaped the crypt. That’s when Dean knew this was worse than he thought. Black smoke meant demons.

“What the hell is that?” Sam shouted from behind Dean.

“It’s a devils gate!” Mary shouted in response.

“A damn door to Hell!” Ellen added, crouched beside Mary. This was awful. The world had to be ending after this. This was it. Dean thought he at least had a year ahead of him. He didn’t expect this to be how he would die.

No one noticed it, but the utter force of the mass of demons was enough to break the iron railroad that kept the yellow eyed demon out and the other demons in. Instead, the hunters got up and ran to the door, attempting to seal it. They pushed the door with all of their might. Just as they were getting somewhere with the thing, Azazel appeared and threw Dean. The hunter landed with a thud and hit his head on a headstone.

“Dean!” Sam shouted and let go of the door, running at the demon. He didn’t get far before he was thrown against a tree, unable to move. Mary wished she could help her boys, but she had to close this fucking door. Azazel walked over to Sam, not seeming to care about Dean.

“My, my. I didn’t expect to see you here.” The demon stated with a sickening grin on his face. Sam grimaced as he tried to break free from the demons hold.

“Guess you underestimated me then.” Sam decides to say. It’s a stupid comment and he regrets it instantly.

“No, I just overestimated your brother. That idiot was willing to give up his life, his soul, for you.” The demon inhales sharply. “I didn’t think he was that stupid.”

“Don’t talk about Dean like that.” Sam practically growls at the demon.

While Azazel was focused on Sam, he unknowingly loosened his hold on Dean. This allowed the older Winchester brother to slowly approach the demon, with the Colt in his hand. He was careful with every footstep, making sure he was silent. He pointed the Colt at the demons head and spoke. “Hey, Dirtbag!” With that, Azazel turned to face Dean. The man smirked and pulled the trigger. The bullet went right in between the demons ribs. A moment later, an orange light illuminates the skeleton of Azazel’s meatsuit. The light flashes as the body goes limp and falls. This is it. The demon is dead.

After the demon died, Sam and Dean rush back to continue closing the Hell gate. With the force of all five hunters, the gate finally closes.

“How many demons do you think got out?” Dean decides to ask.

“200. Enough for an army.” Sam states.


	4. The Year Before Hell (end of 2006-start of 2007)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is unfinished. I try to write as often as I can to update each chapter. Feel free to give your opinion and/or suggestions.

No one brought up the fact that Dean made a demon deal for about a week after those events. Ellen went back to the roadhouse while Bobby went back to answering all the needed phone calls to government agencies. The Winchester trio decided that they would help clean up the mess that they helped make. On the first hunt that they took up, they were outnumbered 3 to 7. When they thought they weren’t going to make it, a blonde haired woman saved the day, using a knife that none of the hunters have seen anything like. They didn’t know about a knife that could kill demons, but this one could. The woman saved them and didn’t stay long enough to give a name. When the hunters were outside burning the corpses of the people that were possessed by the demons, Dean noticed the tears running down his mother’s cheeks.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” He asks, concerned. She looks at him, her face full of dread.

“We’re getting you out of that stupid deal if it’s the last thing I do.” She says, frowning at her son.

“Mom, no. It was my choice. I did it to save Sammy. He deserves a long and happy life.” Dean starts to argue. Sam looks at Dean.

“What, like you don’t?” Sam questions his brothers logic. If anyone deserves a long and happy life out of the two boys, Sam thought it should be Dean. Dean deserved to be happy. He didn’t need this.

“I don’t. I’m a sorry excuse for a son and an even worse brother. Hell, you used to hate me. I can never have a healthy relationship. I was never able to, actually.” Dean inhales sharply and looks at the ground. He couldn’t look at them. Not now, not like this.

“Dean, you are a wonderful man. You saved your brother! We will always love you. It breaks my heart to think about what is going to happen to you.” Mary chokes on a sob. She couldn’t lose Dean. She couldn’t lose Sam either. What would she do without them? She loved them, they were her children. “You two were never supposed to be hunters, but I guess God has important plans for you.” She wipes the tears from her eyes and forces herself to smile. “Angels are watching over you.”

 

Two weeks later, the family was sitting in a booth, eating lunch in a diner. Dean handed Sam and his mother a newspaper article, a man died in a gruesome way, that Dean believed could be from a demon that escaped after the Hell Gate opened. The man lived in Cicero, Indiana, which also happened to be the town where Lisa Braeden lived. She was the bendiest woman he had ever met.

“This a hunt?” Mary asks. Dean nods enthusiastically.

“I think it may have something to do with the Hell Gate.” He adds. Sam raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Is that why you seem so excited?” He asks his older brother.

“There’s this woman that lives there. I spent a weekend with her like 8 years ago.” Hearing her son say this, Mary laughs.

“So you thought you should just say that you want to go for a hunt, instead of saying the real reason?” She smiles at him. “It’s fine if you want to, Dean. Don’t think Sam and I are keeping you from having a sex life.”

“Ew mom don’t say that.” Sam chuckles. “I don’t want to think about Dean’s sex life.”

“Neither do I, but we’re all adults here. I mean it’s not like you’ve never had sex. And you two are proof that I have at least twice.” Mary teases. She wishes every day could be full of smiles and laughter instead of driving and gross diner food. Driving and diner food is better than the days of monster hunting.

“Mom!” Both the boys groan. Wrinkles form around Sam’s nose as he makes a face of disgust. Dean just frowns. Mary can’t help but smile at her sons.

 

It wasn’t long until Sam and Mary were left in a motel while Dean was on his way to Lisa’s house. Cicero Pines had a small diner near the lobby. Before going to the diner, Sam decided to ask a question that was eating at him.

“Hey, mom.” He clears his throat before speaking.

“Yeah, Sam?” She turns to him, putting her duffle bag in one of the dresser drawers. The three decided that they would get a room with two queens. If Dean came back, he would get a room with e queen bed and give that room to Mary. He doubted that he would be back before morning. Hell, he would like to believe that he would spend another weekend like the one 8 years ago.

“Do you know of a knife that can kill demons?” The woman that saved them, Sam specifically, had one. She caught a glimpse of it when the woman introduced herself as the woman who just saved Sam’s ass. The blonde woman left soon after she said that.

“Before that woman, I would have said one doesn’t exist. I was just as shocked as you.” She turns to her son, who was looking at her already. “When I was growing up, The Colt was just a bed time story. I didn’t know it was real until a man came to Lawrence saying he needed to kill the yellowed eyed demon because it killed his father. A day later, the demon killed my parents and the man vanished.” The man also looked exactly like Dean but she wasn’t going to mention that. Definitely not in front of Sam. He would tell Dean and they would think that The Man was Deans father. He wasn’t, John was.

“I’m so sorry… D-did the man ever contact you after that?” Sam asks. He wasn’t sure what to say.

“No. The funny thing is, his name was Dean and he was a hunter.” Mary frowns, not sure why she said that. Sam cleared his throat and grabbed his laptop bag.

“How about we go to that diner? I’m starving.” He starts heading out the door. Mary follows him out of the motel room.

While at the diner, Sam does research on how to get Dean out of his demon deal. Mary notes how often everyone except Dean has been doing that. She doesn’t mention it, instead looks at the menu. All of these places seemed to have the same shit on their menu. She preferred home cooked meals but this was cheaper. The three of them only had a limited amount of combined money to use before having to sink to credit card scams and hustling pool. If they can get Dean out of his deal, Mary hopes that he’ll be willing to stop hunting. Hell, if they can’t get him out of his deal, she’s going to force Sam to leave the life with her. She never wanted them to be forced into this.

A waitress walks over to them holding a notepad and pen. Sam doesn’t bother looking up from his laptop when she speaks.

“What will it be?” She asks.

“I’ll have a chicken salad and a coffee, black.” Sam says. He has these menus memorized.

“I’ll have a cheeseburger and a side of fries with a coke.” Mary says, smiling at the waitress.

The waitress smiles back as she writes their order. “Your brother is handsome.” She says to Mary.

Mary laughs a bit. She can’t possibly think that Sam is her brother. “He’s my son.”

“Oh! You just look so young, I didn’t… Wow.” The waitress puts a hand to her head. “I’m sorry.”  She looks at Mary again.

“I thought she was talking about Dean.” Sam says not even bothering to give either woman his full attention.

“He barely got out of the car and she was looking at me when she spoke, Sam. If you stopped looking at your dumb computer you would have saw.” Mary responds quickly. It was less of a jab and more of a hint saying that he should put it away and be polite. Mary looks back at the waitress. “Sorry he’s been attached to the thing a lot recently. He went through a lot.” With that Sam closed his laptop and looked at his mother before looking at the waitress.

“It’s fine. Lots of people come in here for the free internet connection. You don’t look that familiar, are you on a trip?” The tanned brunette waitress asks.

“Yep. Sam’s fiancée passed away, so we decided to take a cross country road trip together. His brother chose to stop here to see an ex lady friend.” Mary informs.

“I would say more like a weekend sex toy.” Mary kicks Sam in the shin when he says this. He winces and moves away.

The waitress giggles and smiles at Sam. “I’ll be back with your drinks.” She walks away from the two, towards the kitchen.

“Sam, I swear to God, you need to stop researching every second Dean is gone. He doesn’t seem to care if he can get out of the deal. He doesn’t know that any of us are searching. We should tell him instead of keeping it away from him. Also stop being so rude.” Mary chastises him. Sam looks at his laptop guiltily until they hear a vaguely familiar voice.

“Hey Sam.” They both look at the blonde woman that walked over to their booth without being heard or seen by either hunter. It was the woman that saved Sam, and by association Dean and Mary.

“You’ve been following us since Lincoln.” Sam states. Mary scoots over in the booth to let her sit down.

“Yeah, because I like you.” The blonde woman says as she sits next to Mary.

“Why?” Sam asks.

“Because you’re tall. I do like a tall man.” Of course she had to point out the man’s height. Basically everyone does. “There also is the whole anti-Christ thing.”

“Wait what?” Both Mary and Sam say at the same time.

“The yellow eyed demon had some important plans for you Sammy. You were one of his special children.” The young blonde says.

“How do you know about that?” Sam asks. The woman doesn’t answer as the waitress walks to them with the Winchesters food and drinks. She asks the new addition to the table if they would like anything, and she declines. The waitress smiles and leaves.

“I’m a good hunter.” She responds as she takes a fry from Mary’s plate. The young blonde makes a sound of pleasure as she eats the fry. “Jesus fucking Christ these are delicious.”

“What’s your name?” Mary asks. If she were a hunter, Mary would definitely know her name.

“Ruby. So Sam, you do know there is a case here. Right?” She stands up and walks away just as Mary’s phone rings.

Mary answers her phone and she watches Ruby walk away. “Hey, mom. There is a case here.” Dean’s voice says through the speaker. “That death was only one of four. The other three didn’t make the paper. All of them in the gated community that Lisa lives in.” Mary looks at Sam, an expression of shock on her face.

“Meet Sam and me in the hotel room.” Mary says.

“On my way now.” Dean states. “Love you, mom.”

“I love you too.” With that Dean hangs up.

“What happened?” Sam asks as he shoves a forkful of his salad into his mouth.

“There’s a case… in Lisa’s neighborhood.” Mary says, taking a sip of her coke. “We need to get to go boxes and head back to the room to talk to Dean.”

“I’ll take care of that stuff, you go ahead to the room.” Sam insists.

“I got it. Go put your computer up or something. I’ll make sure nothing happens to your salad.” Mary smiles at Sam.

“Alright.” Sam sighs as he gets up, taking his laptop with him to the room.

The trio solves the case rather quickly. Changelings aren’t that big of a deal considering the fact that the boys had experience in killing a demon, a powerful demon specifically. Mary had a lot of experience with average monsters like changelings. What Mary doesn’t expect is that Dean turns down Lisa’s offer of him living with her. It makes sense considering he has less than a year left to live. Dean doesn’t tell Lisa that though.

The trio seemed to have gotten a break from hunting. This let Sam and Mary rest while Dean always seemed like he was on the verge of punching something. If Mary didn’t know any better, she would say Dean enjoyed hunting. Except she does know better and she’d say that Dean _really enjoys_ hunting. She honestly has never seen Dean as happy as he is when he has a blade or a gun in his hand. Which is quite troubling. Mary informs Bobby of her worries, which Bobby suggests that he train Dean on the more illegal parts of hunting.

“Bobby, I highly doubt Dean will be willing to learn how to hotwire a car and do credit card scams. He’s a good kid. You know I didn’t want either of them finding out about the life.” Mary pulls her hair into a messy bun as she sits at Bobby’s kitchen table. Sam and Dean were at the motel room that they checked into while on the way back to Mary’s house, she told them she had to run some errands and that she would be back soon. “Why would I encourage them to break the law?”

“You’re not encouraging it. Just giving him the knowledge. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make ‘em drink.” Bobby sits next to her.

“Bobby… We can’t get Dean out of this fucking deal. Nothing is gonna work.” Mary’s voice cracks on the last sentence. “I’m gonna- I’m not gonna be able to save him.” She looks at Bobby as the tears start to stream down her face. “I tried to protect them from this, all it did was end up with Dean on his way to Hell with a one way ticket.”

Bobby pulls her into a tight hug. “Mary we’ll get him out of this.”

Mary shakes her head. Bobby is the smartest person she knows-Sam and Dean are close seconds, but Bobby has more life experience-but he isn’t right on this one. They won’t be able to help Dean. She can _feel_ it in her soul. She knows for certain that Dean isn’t getting out of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of changing the format after this chapter. When we start branching into apocalypse territory, the chapters will be more detailed and they won't each represent a year.


End file.
